Men’s freestyle changes qualifying procedures for World team

By USA Wrestling 01/26/2011

There has been a change in the qualification procedures for the 2011 U.S. World Team in men’s freestyle wrestling. These new procedures for men’s freestyle wrestling have been approved by USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Sport Committee and Executive Committee.

A summary of the change is below:

• The change affects any weight category where the USA has a champion from one of five selected international competitions. The international tournament champion who makes the finals of the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials and finishes second will compete in a post World Team Trials international competition along with the 2011 World Team Trials champion at a place and date to be determined by the National Coach. The highest medaling athlete will be USA Wrestling’s World Team member. If both athletes earn a bronze medal OR both athletes medal and the only loss for each is from the same athlete OR neither athlete earns a medal, then the winner of the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials will be USA Wrestling’s World Team member.

• The exception to the new addition to the Trials procedures will be in a situation where both finalists in the 2011 World Team Trials are champions from one of the five selected winter tournaments. In this case, the winner of the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials will be the USA Wrestling’s World Team member.

• The five 2011 international tournaments which have been selected for this new qualifying standard are:
– Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 28-30
– Yasar Dogu Grand Prix, Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 11-13
– Takhti Cup, Kish Island, Iran, Feb. 25-27
– Dan Kolov International, Bourgas, Bulgaria, Feb. 25-27
– Alexander Medved International, Minsk, Belarus, March 4-5

The intent of the addition to the trials is to reward the individuals that perform at the highest level at the best international tournaments during the tour season. This is especially important this year as the 2011 World Championships is the first qualifying event for the 2012 Olympic Games.

This change does not affect the 2011 Pan American Games Selection Procedures. The 2011 U.S. World Team Trials is the qualifying event for the 2011 Pan American Games team in all three styles.

The procedure change is not in effect for Greco-Roman or women’s freestyle.